


Settled

by MomoMoon115



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime)
Genre: Aged up characters, Boys Kissing, First Kiss, Literal Sleeping Together, M/M, Rain, takes place after kalos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:22:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23641537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MomoMoon115/pseuds/MomoMoon115
Summary: "Paul?" Ash tilted his head. "Something wrong?""No, just thinking."Ash grinned. "You've changed, Paul. It's nice.""Have I really?""I mean, you're still you, Paul, but you seem calmer, nicer. It's good." Ash shrugged.
Relationships: Satoshi | Ash Ketchum/Shinji | Paul
Comments: 4
Kudos: 97
Collections: Two Sides | Same Coin Discord





	Settled

**Author's Note:**

> For ShinSato Discord~

Paul sat, his back to the wall, book in hand and backpack on his right. The annoying conversations, laughter, and pokemon sounds filled the small area of the pokemon center. Paul had finally found a small spot under a window after wandering for a while. The rain outside showed no signs of letting up. He returned to the book in his hands, flipping through pages, half paying attention. 

"Paul," a melodic voice called in front of him. "That you?" 

Paul looked up to find Ash's smiling face looking down at him. 

"Mind if I sit? There's not much space around." Ash laughed as Pikachu waved and greeted him. 

Paul shook his head and scooted over. Ash sat down, pulling his drenched jacket off. Pikachu settled in his lap, eyes closed. 

"So how ya been?" Ash tried. 

"Fine," Paul replied, flipping to another page. 

"What brings you to Kanto?" 

Paul looked up from his book and stared at him. He raised an eyebrow before closing his book and putting it away.

"Running an errand for Reggie." 

"That's great, Paul." Ash beamed. 

Paul scoffed and looked down into his lap. He lifted his head and set it against the wood paneling. "I'm not surprised to see you haven't changed one bit." 

Ash petted Pikachu over its head and smiled down at it. "I'll take that as a good thing. What have you been up to?" 

Paul sighed. "Nothing much, lately, training and traveling mostly. I noticed you don't have your friends around." 

"Ah, yeah, you see I'm traveling back to Pallet Town from the Kalos region."

Paul nodded. "Runner up, right?" 

"Yeah! How did you know?" 

"Saw the battle on TV. You did well." Paul smiled softly. 

"Really! That's great coming from you!"

Paul folded his legs and stayed silent. 

"Paul?" Ash tilted his head. "Something wrong?"

"No, just thinking." 

Ash grinned. "You've changed, Paul. It's nice."

"Have I really?" 

"I mean, you're still you, Paul, but you seem calmer, nicer. It's good." Ash shrugged. 

Paul shrugged back. They listened to the thunder and the rain falling in silence. Ash stroked Pikachu's fur and after thirty minutes of sitting in the silence between them, pulled a blanket from his bag. He covered both himself and Pikachu thoroughly before closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the window sill. 

Paul watched him for a little while, noting how Ash had changed. He was skinnier, leaner, more muscled. He looked much more mature than he'd last seen him. He spoke with utter confidence, not backed by just belief in his pokemon. It suited him. He pulled the book back out of his bag. He crossed a few things off and took a second to think. 

Reggie was friends with a researcher that was related to Professor Oak, he'd need to stop by his laboratory in Pallet Town to get something for him. It was his next and last stop. He bit his lip and nearly jumped when he felt something on his shoulder. He looked over to find Ash's head had fallen onto his shoulder. 

He had half a mind to push him off with a growl but found that he didn't want to. He set his book aside and leaned back against the window sill to get some much-needed sleep as well. 

"Aww, look at you two!" He heard as he blinked awake, the morning sun shining through the window.

Paul rubbed his eyes to clear his vision and found Ash's friend, Brock, standing in front of him with a camera. He glared, but Brock just chuckled. Brock flipped the screen and showed Paul the picture. Ash had scooted up next to him in his sleep. Pikachu had grown hot under the blanket and had migrated to on top of the blanket, and Paul's head was nestled right on top of Ash's. He was smiling in his sleep, content. That was strange, Reggie often scolded him for being a stressful sleeper, teeth clenched, nails buried in his palm, and a frown on his face. He realized his jaw didn't hurt and the normal crescent shapes from his nails were nowhere to be found either. Huh.

"I won't tell Ash." Brock smiled. "I can give you a copy?" 

Paul shook his head. He carefully settled Ash into a better sleeping position. Paul gathered his materials and bowed to Brock before he left. 

"You won't say goodbye?" Brock asked. 

Paul shook his head. 

"Would you like a ride anywhere? I'm here to take the sleepy head back to Pallet Town."

"No, but thank you for the offer." Paul shook his head and headed for the bathrooms. 

Paul didn't expect to find his feet carrying him all the way to Pallet Town two weeks later. He adjusted his bag as he walked down the chilly trail leading to the small hometown of the person that had impacted him the most in his life. It was late afternoon when he entered the town. Not a lot of people seemed to be around. He noticed Professor Oak's lab in the distance but had no idea how to get there. Nothing around him seemed to point him in the right direction either. 

He turned to the first house he saw. A Mr. Mime was giddily doing yard work. He walked up the porch and knocked on the door. He waited patiently for a reply. A woman greeted him with a familiar smile. 

"Hi," Paul started. "I'm a pokemon trainer and I wanted to know if you can provide directions for the Oak Laboratory?"

"Oh, of course, dear, my son is actually.heading over there now. I'll let him take you!"

Paul grimaced, not really wanting a travel companion. He was about to turn her down when a familiar laugh and eager Pikachu noise sounded behind the woman. 

"Perfect timing, Ash, honey. Can you take this boy with you to Professor Oak?" 

"Sure, Mom, who is it...Paul!" Ash grinned. 

"Oh, perfect! You both know each other!" Delia grinned. 

"Ah, yeah, be back later, Mom." Ash smiled as he grabbed the sleeve of Paul's jacket and pulled him down the stairs of the porch. 

"You could have come back with me and Brock," Ash said, letting Paul go. "I was hoping we could talk the next morning, but Brock said you left."

"Yeah, was kind of busy."

"That's alright! We can talk now!" 

Pikachu agreed with Ash's statement. Ash chattered on and on about the various things you could do in Pallet Town while they hiked the trail to the laboratory. They reached there in no time and Paul found himself meeting a lot of Ash's pokemon. They weren't hard to pick out  
Like trainer, like pokemon. They were all very loving and excited to see their trainer. 

Professor Oak returned with the package for Reggie and Paul made his leave. 

"Wait up, Paul! You don't have to go yet!" Ash pleaded. 

"I'm actually on a pretty strict schedule," Paul replied as he walked out the door. The schedule was really only because it had taken him a week and a half to decide to even go to Pallet Town. 

Ash caught his sweater. "Really?" He tried weakly. 

"Uh, yeah." Paul supplied dumbly. 

"Well, um, I'm actually heading out to the Alola region, next week. Mom won a vacation." Ash offered half-heartedly. 

"I see. I'm sure you'll be fine." 

"Ah, well, I guess. I mean- I kind of." Ash scratched the back of his head. 

Paul rolled his eyes with a smile. He leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Ash's lips. He pulled back with a smirk. "You've been eyeing me all day." 

Ash flushed. "I guess I could have been less obvious." 

"Only slightly." Paul grinned. "I'll see you when you get back?"

"Yeah!" Ash beamed. "But can I? One more for the road?"

Paul pulled the door closed behind Asj and crowded him against the wood. He tilted his head and leaned in. Ash met him halfway. Ash tangled their fingers together before leaving Paul's hands to settle his own on Paul's hips as they kissed. They pulled away and immediately dove in for kiss after sweet kiss, not wanting to stop. 

Paul pulled away for good and smiled. "I really do have to go though." 

"Okay," Ash said softly. 

Paul stole one last kiss, quick, chaste, and warm. Before he forced himself to turn and leave. Ash smiled as he waved and watched Paul go, lips swollen, heart beating a mile a minute, and a newfound aspect to his and Paul's relationship. His hand clenched at his stomach, a warm feeling and fluttering butterflies filled it as he watched Paul make his way down the trail. He couldn't stop smiling even as he walked back inside. He shook his head when Pikachu threw him a confused look but joined Professor Oak for tea. 

Paul walked away, fingertips over his lips and a giddy feeling in his stomach. He'd never felt like this before.


End file.
